NEW QUEEN SCHEHERAZADE CROWNED
New court to reign as ambassadors of 72nd Annual Fair

Indio, CA – (November 18, 2017) On the evening of November 18, 2017 the Riverside County Fairground’s Fullenwider Building was transformed into a scene out of 1,001 Arabian Nights. Twelve young ladies from across Riverside County competed for the crowns of Queen Scheherazade, Princess Dunyazade and Princess Jasmine. The Queen & her Court will act as goodwill ambassadors for the 2018 Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival, February 16-25.

Crowned Queen Scheherazade was Keanna Garcia. Keanna is a senior at Palm Desert High School. She is involved with the National Honor Society, she also tutors middle school students and helps freshman and sophomore students be proactive about college. Keanna loves the performing arts and is very involved with theatre and created the first Folklorico Club at her school. She plans to attend College of the Desert.

Sianna Gonzalez, from Shadow Hills High School, was crowned Princess Dunyazade. She received a Royal Purple Award for accomplishing a 4.0 GPA every year. She loves being a cheerleader as the sport allows her to lead her classmates, not only on the sidelines, but as a leader in general. Sianna plans to become a nurse which will allow her to help others and work with children.

Crowned Princess Jasmine was Caedwyn Lethlean, a senior at Shadow Hills High School. She also received a Royal Purple Honor Roll Award for maintaining a 4.0 GPA all semesters of high school. Caedwyn’s life goal is to make a significant contribution to the world through biomedical engineering.

Queen Scheherazade will receive a $3,500 scholarship and each of the princess will receive a $3,000 scholarship. We look forward to having them represent the 2018 Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival. Congratulations, ladies!

The Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival is presented by Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, the desert’s leader in gaming and entertainment. The Fair, in Indio, runs February 16-25. Gates open at 10 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. Purchase your tickets early and receive them at a discounted price: $10 for adults, $9 for seniors, $8 for youth, $8 for group tickets or bus tours (minimum of 25), and $22 for Unlimited Carnival Ride Wristbands. For more information, call 800.811.FAIR or visit DateFest.org where you can buy and print your Fair tickets at home.

THE LEGEND OF QUEEN SCHEHERAZADE

Early storytellers of Baghdad say that there was once a jealous king named Shahriyar, who dearly loved his beautiful wife. But, unfortunately, he discovered that she was unfaithful. So he promptly had her beheaded.

The King vowed he would remarry and the morning following his wedding night his bride would be slain.

The task of finding the King a new wife each day was turned over to the Grand Vizier (Chief of Police). It so happened that the Vizier was the father of two of the most beautiful women in the land-Scheherazade and Dunyazade. Shocked at what was happening to her sister citizens, Scheherazade begged her father to take her as a bride to the king. At first the Vizier refused, but Scheherazade argued that eventually her time would come.

And so it was, that the king met “Scheherazade”, a comedian and great storyteller.

On their wedding night Scheherazade started the Tale of 1001 Nights, but she was unable to finish it. She promised to do so the next evening. Intensely interested, the king agreed. However, the next night, Scheherazade again stopped her story as it reached an exciting point. Again, the King agreed to a continuance.

And so it went for 1001 nights, until the King fell deeply in love with Scheherazade and they lived happily ever after.

Former Queen Scheherazades

1947 Janet Jackson

Riverside

1982 Bertha Balbastro

Blythe

1948 Janet Anderson

Riverside

1983 Theresa Carmichael

Temecula

1949 Winnie Gavin

Indio

1984 Rachelle Munoz

Indio

1950 Eloda Miller

Riverside

1985 Peggy Foley

Thermal

1951 Sally Pringle

Palm Springs

1986 Stephanie Ann Williams

Temecula

1952 Barbara Overby

Hemet

1987 Lisa Renee Marshall

San Jacinto

1953 Laurett Taylor

Palm Desert

1988 Crystal Starr Brown

Lake Elsinore

1954 Beverly Hill

Corona

1989 Kristi Pyles

Corona

1955 Karen Morton

Palm Desert

1990 Erika Franco

Desert Hot Springs

1956 Jeaniene Cook

Hemet

1991 Norma Lopez

La Quinta

1957 Barbra Duer

Palm Springs

1992 Leanne Hammond

Indio

1958 Sandra Jennings

Riverside

1993 Michelle Leduc

Riverside

1959 Melanie Todd

San Jacinto

1994 Dana Denise Harrell

Indio

1960 Bobbie Keith

Corona

1995 Bianca Reane Figueroa

Blythe

1961 Jayne Stars

Banning

1996 Tanya Holmes

Palm Desert

1962 Linda Strangman

Riverside

1997 Heather McWorter

La Quinta

1963 Vickie Palmer

Palm Springs

1998 Vanessa Ruiz

La Quinta

1964 Susan Fast

Indio

1999 Sarah Young

Indio

1965 Betty Hendrikson

Palm Springs

2000 Valerie Cecilia Arias

Thermal

1966 Paulette Taylor

Riverside

2001 Lynn Snyder

Sky Valley

1967 Cindy Eller

Eagle Mountain

2002 Diana Ramirez

Coachella

1968 Scarlett Huenergardt

Palm Springs

2003 Kymberle Creson

Palm Desert

1969 Donna Kennedy

Coachella

2004 Brooke Akers

Desert Hot Springs

1970 Dianne Rockenberg

Palm Desert

2005 Sierra Hanson

Indio

1971 Linda Benjamin

Norco

2006 Ginger Rae McCartney

Desert Hot Springs

1972 Linda Norris

Blythe

2007 Jessica Walls

Bermuda Dunes

1973 Toni Tuso

Riverside

2008 Desiree Porras

Indio

1974 Debra Morris

Lake Elsinore

2009 Madi DiPietro

Hemet

1975 Tawny Aungst

Norco

2010 Amber Amaya

Indio

1976 Patricia Lynn Norris

Blythe

2011 Anna Acosta

Cathedral City

1977 Katherine Murry

Hemet

2012 Jordana Totman

Palm Desert

1978 Shelli Hayes

Lake Elsinore

2013 Madison Givens

Palm Desert

1979 Julie Jenkins

Blythe

2014 Makenna McIntyre

La Quinta

1980 Sheryl Vancleave

Riverside

2015 Carla Cabrera

Salton City

1981 Anne Apra

La Quinta

2016 Tyler Kelleher

Beaumont

2017 Ngan Nguyen

La Quinta

Get the latest from your favorite Fair!

Sign up to get interesting news, updates and offers from the Riverside County Fair.